1 week Ago By John Johnson
A story by Kim Cross in begins with the simple anecdote of a teenager going for bike ride. But this particular teenager—18-year-old Reihana Mohammadi—was riding in Afghanistan in August 2021. "You are crazy!" Reihana recalls people calling out.
"The Taliban are very close!" In fact, the Taliban would return to power the very next day. And while Reihana was a new member of the Afghan National Cycling Team, the return of the Taliban after 20 years would make her something else: an infidel because she dared to participate in sports as a woman and wear athletic clothing. It would also make her a prime target.
Cross' story recounts the frantic efforts of Reihana and other female cyclists to flee the country, which they did successfully thanks to help from people such as American bicyclist and activist Shannon Galpin. "They live scattered across seven countries," writes Cross. "They miss riding together in Bamyan, pressing against the wind.
" Bamyan used to be Reihana's small home city in Afghanistan, but she lives now in Germany with her parents and siblings. The 21-year-old no long rides competitively and is focused instead on getting her business degree. "When I ride bikes now, I don't feel as happy as I did in Bamyan," she says.
"It feels so different. I'm not that free." Read the , which recounts how Reihana's older sister, Zakia, was one of the pioneers who earned women the right to ride bicycles in Afghanistan—at least until the Taliban's return to power.
(The Taliban recently .).
